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Grocery Store Tricks

by grocery,

Grocery stores are really good at finding ways to convince you to buy more than you need. One it helps them make more money because you’re spending more. Two it helps them save money because if they pass food waste onto you, the consumer, they don’t have to pay for it.

It’s a sad fact that approximately 40% of what is sold at the supermarket winds up as food waste in one way or another.

Seven grocery store tricks you should be aware of

 

Here are some of the top tricks grocery stores use to convince you to buy more than you actually need:

1. They do their best to overload your senses grocery store fish 

A curated soundtrack, smells from the bakery or meat department (why else are they cooking samples as you walk by), special lighting. In the fish department the lights can be slightly more blue to make the fish look fresher, in the produce department the fruits and veg are lit so they appear as bright as possible. This creates a form of fatigue that can potentially lead you to buy more.

2. Grocery stores like using big grocery cartsgrocery store cart

Just like with a dinner plate, the bigger it is the more you feel you have to fill it up. Some grocery stores do have a small cart option. And others have a basket. Before you walk in the store think about how much you’re planning to buy and what size container you actually need.

3. Per unit pricing varies dramatically per ounce, per serving, per pound, etc.grocery store packaging

All of which is designed to make it very difficult for you to figure out what’s the best deal for you. Plus many people think that the larger package always costs less per unit and so they buy that out of habit. Grocery stores use this false thinking to sell you more than you need. If you can’t easily figure out the prices you may simply grab the larger package and the extra winds up in your trashcan. Don’t automatically assume the bigger container is the better bargain.

4. Fake deals are a huge strategy.grocery store sale

The grocery store runs a 10 cans for $10 or something similar. You are led to believe that means you have to buy 10 cans. Sometimes bulk pricing deals do require you to buy the number of units they’re offering, but often they don’t. Take the time to look clearly at the label and figure out if you need as many as they’re offering or if you can just buy a smaller number.

5. Product creep is another popular strategy the grocery stores use to convince you to spend more money.

They place items that don’t belong in the section they’re in, for example whipped cream and spongy little air cakes next to the strawberries in the produce department. This is to create a suggestion that you should have these things together. That would be why salad dressings now appear in the produce section and barbecue sauces and seasonings now show up in the meat department. Think about what you really need and don’t buy it simply because they’ve grouped it together.

6. Product placement is key.

In fact grocery stores charge more for premium placement which is at eye level in the middle. Less popular brands or items that may not be used as often are either at the very bottom or the very top. The best way to deal with this strategy is to know what you’re looking for and specifically shop for that rather than being distracted by the premium placement items.

7. The checkout aisle is a great way to convince you to buy more.

Nowadays it’s not just candy. It’s electronic devices, smaller units of over-the-counter medicines, which because it’s a smaller unit are often more expensive, and toys. While you’re standing there in a very long line, tired from the decision fatigue of going to the grocery store and dealing with all of their enticing strategies, it’s easy to fall prey to purchasing a drink, a treat, something. Being aware of this grocery store sales strategy can make it a little bit easier to resist temptation.

As always, you probably know this, don’t go to the grocery store when you are hungry. If you have to run to the grocery store last minute and you are hungry, I encourage you to be in the habit of having a protein bar or a bag of nuts for a quick protein snack. Not a meal, just enough to help you not overbuy at the grocery store.

13 Tips To Prevent Food Waste

by food waste, left overs,

This video about food waste from the BBC highlights just how much food is wasted in developed countries. Some of it is due to confusion about labeling but much of it is due to carelessness. Food has become so cheap that we don't value it and discard it easily.

The GMO connection 

Food waste is balanced by the unfortunate sadness of health issues from people consuming too much food (and often the wrong kinds of foods).  Cultural habits tend to encourage finishing everything on our plate, even if we've already had enough to eat. But this can be a lead-in to weight gain and obesity. So while it's certainly not a good idea to polish off your plate simply because it's there, it's also not good to throw away large amounts of food.

Given the high number of people who don't have enough to eat in the premier nations, let alone the rest of the world, this is a major issue. Yet iI=f we continue to think there's not enough food this continues to pave the way for more GMO foods.  Unfortunately, the increased use of GMOs causes increased use of pesticides, not the decrease that was initially promised.  GMO also appears to be strongly tied to an increase in Irritable Bowel Disorders as it destroys intestinal flora.

What to do about food waste?

How do we address this issue? How can we stop the senseless destruction and waste of massive amounts of food? Remember this is food which took many man-hours to grow, nurture, harvest, transport, produce, and provide.  And which you had to work hard to earn the money to pay for it.  Food which might have provided a meal to someone in need.

One suggestion is to look at our consumption habits.  If we routinely throw out certain fresh foods perhaps we're buying too much.  If we collect foods in containers, letting them turn grey and fuzzy before we throw them out, perhaps we are preparing too much.  Or perhaps we're not just packaging them attractively enough to be appealing for a second or third meal. Below are some great tips to help you stop wasting food, and money.

Strategies to help reduce food waste

1. Shop more frequently

Some people see this as a pain.  However, while it's important to have a fully stocked pantry of staple products, it can be better for food waste to shop 2-3 times per week for fresh items buying only what you need for the next couple of days.  This requires menu planning and making it a habit to not impulse buy. 

2. Only buy what you will use

This can be a challenging habit to implement.  Oftentimes we purchase because it's on sale.  Or we think 'I've always wanted to make that.'  Perhaps we say to ourselves 'I think I just saw a recipe for that.'  And if we don't get to that item, it winds up in the trash.  If we only buy what we know we will use there will be much less waste.

3. Plan for leftovers

When cooking a whole chicken, for example, plan the meals that will be the result of that original meal. Have several recipes on hand that call for cooked chicken (including this fabulous pot pie recipe). This strategy works for any meal that you make.

4. Scaling back

As household dynamics change you may no longer be cooking for a large number of people. Also, many recipes are written for four to six servings. Learn how to scale back your favorite recipes or to plan that half of the meal will be stored in the freezer for a later meal. 

5. Sharing purchases

Grocery stores or warehouse shopping stores make bulk buying less expensive. For example, 10 pounds of onions is much less expensive than purchasing them either on a per pound basis or in a three-pound bag.  However, unless you're planning on making frequent batches of onion soup you can't go through it all quickly enough.  If you share with one or two friends everyone gets the benefit of the less expensive price and there is bound to be less waste.

6. Attractive use of leftovers

Using wide mouth pint jars to make a meal-in-a-jar from leftovers somehow seems much more attractive to people than looking at a collection of containers where you have to open and peer at each one to decide which one(s) you want to eat.  This food saving tip also includes learning to make a composed plate with perhaps one new food (usually a quick saute of some kind) and arranging everything well on the plate.  If you put the same attention into arranging a plate of leftovers as you do a plate of freshly cooked food, people will respond positively.  If you plop it wherever on the plate and just lump it there, they are less enthused about the meal.

7. Rummage cooking

I'd love to see a t.v. show on this concept (rather than the immensely stocked everything-you-could-imagine pantries) and it's one that takes a bit of practice.  This is where you notice that the refrigerator is getting full.  Learn to look at the ingredients gathering in your refrigerator and begin to plan what you can make for a menu using up those last bits.  In the beginning, it may be a soup or stew.  But as you learn to put flavor profiles together you'll begin to have more varied meals.  While not all of them may be successful as a "menu" chances are, because you made them, they are all tasty, something you enjoy, and a great way to prevent waste.

8. Serve smaller portions

It's always better to go back for seconds than to have too much on the plate.  Studies have shown that we eat more than we think if we have larger portions in front of us.

9. Dehydrating

If you have food that is still edible but you either have too much or it will go bad before you can use it dehydrating it can be a good way to preserve it.  Use either a dehydrator or dry in your oven on low (approximately 170 degrees) until dry.

10. Save the scraps

Remember that ends and peels of things such as carrots, onions, celery, and mushrooms can be saved in the freezer until you have enough to make a bone broth. Don't throw them out when you can get a little more nutrition out of them and make a super tasty broth.

11. Pickle the peels

Most people discard the stems of broccoli and cauliflower leaves. These are actually edible and can be a great way to make kimchi, a delicious fermented food. If you’re not familiar with how to make it this cookbook has a number of recipes to get you started.

12. Save the seeds

Pumpkin and squash seeds are a wonderful snack, nutrient dense, and super easy to prepare.

Pumpkin and Squash Seeds

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Instructions
 

  • Simply wash thoroughly to remove the gunky bits, rinse the seeds, toss with a little olive oil and your seasoning of choice.
  • Then place in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in a 250° F oven, turning occasionally, for 35 minutes.
  • Turn the heat up to 325° F for another 10-12 minutes until dry and crisp (keep stirring every 5 minutes).

13. Make chutney

If you’ve got some fruit that’s getting a bit over-ripe it’s perfect for making chutney. Here’s a super simple chutney recipe:

Chutney

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Ingredients
  

  • one pound of fruit peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 pound of tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 medium diced onion
  • 1/4 cup Thompson’s organic raisins
  • 1/3 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1 teaspoon molasses
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seed

Instructions
 

  • Place fruit and water in a medium sauce pan, set to a boil, and cook until fruit is slightly soft.
  • Add remaining ingredients to saucepan and stir to combine completely.
  • Turn temperature down to a simmer.
  • Stir and cook until mixture has reduced and thickened, about 1 hour.
  • Ladle into sterilized canning jars, seal, and water bath 15 minutes.

Use these tips and chances are you'll not only save time and money, but you may also discover a newfound creativity in the kitchen.